Coping as a carer
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the lives of carers and those they are caring for.
A majority have had to provide extraordinary hours of care for loved ones with increasing needs during the crisis, often without the usual help from family and friends, and with limited or no support from local services.
New research from Carers UK, the national membership charity for carers, reveals that carers are desperately worried about how they will continue to care safely through the coming winter, and that they are already exhausted and close to burn out. Without urgent action from the government, many carers simply do not think they will be able to cope in the coming months.
Carers UK provides expert advice and information and runs a network of local branches and contacts to support carers and put them in touch with others in their community. In September, the charity carried out an online survey of almost 6,000 carers and former carers. You can read the findings of the survey in their recently published report – Caring Behind Closed Doors: Six months on.
Previous research by Carers UK in April (Caring Behind Closed Doors) showed the majority of unpaid carers immediately took on more care for their older, disabled or seriously ill relatives through the first lockdown.
Six months later, four in five carers (81 per cent) report that they are still providing more care than before the lockdown, and nearly two thirds (63 per cent) have expressed worry about how they will continue to manage over the winter months.
In support of their new report, Carers UK has launched a new campaign action – encouraging those who are currently caring to email their MP, to tell them about their experiences of caring during the crisis. If you are caring, or happy to support, please click here to write to your MP.
North service delivery director and new executive sponsor of the Parents & Carer’s network, Jane Simpson, said: ‘We know that even in normal times, many of our people balance parental and caring responsibilities with their career. But since Covid-19 arrived, even more colleagues have had to take on unpaid caring roles, from checking on, shopping for and obtaining medications for self-isolating parents to shielding children or elderly family members with special needs or depleted immune systems.
‘We know that many unpaid carers are feeling worried and unsure at the moment. To assist colleagues and those they care for during this particularly difficult time, Carers UK have put together a number of sources of support, which you can view by clicking here.
‘Further information for colleagues looking to obtain support with formal flexible working requests and approvals as well as advice on the types of flexible working available can be found on our Parents & Carers steering group homepage.’
Supporting our people
As one of the UK’s biggest employers, we are committed to putting equality and diversity at the heart of our business.
We aim to help colleagues with caring responsibilities balance these duties with their day-to-day working life.
To contact the Parents & Carers steering group, please email: Parents.and.Carers@Royalmail.com. Similarly, if you would like to join the group or you have any positive stories about how you as a parent or carer have been supported by the business, please get in touch!
